If conservative treatment options have failed to help you find relief, the next step in treatment may be to undergo a surgical procedure. Because you likely haven’t undergone a shoulder operation in the past, it’s normal to have some questions about the procedure and your recovery. In fact, asking a few specific questions to your shoulder surgeon can set you up for success before, during and after your operation. Below, we highlight some helpful questions to ask your shoulder surgeon prior to your procedure.
What Questions To Ask Your Shoulder Surgeon
Please feel free to ask any and all questions to your surgeon at any stage of the process, but you may find that the following questions provide you with some peace of mind or some answers that can increase your likelihood of a successful operation. Here are some questions to consider asking:
- What’s Your Experience With The Procedure? – Many shoulder surgeries are considered elective in nature, meaning you have some more freedom to decide who performs your operation. You want to move forward with a surgeon with extensive experience performing the exact procedure you need. Ask about their previous experience performing the surgery they are recommending. If they don’t seem like a great fit based on their answer or any other factors during the pre-op consult, feel free to look for a different surgeon.
- What’s The Expected Outcome? – Far too often patients focus on what could happen if something goes wrong, but it’s important to understand what to expect assuming everything goes as planned with your procedure. Knowing what to expect can help you manage your expectations and goals. Ask them about what you can expect in terms of function or pain once healing has run its course.
- What Can I Do Before Surgery? – You can’t control every aspect of your surgery or recovery, but you can help to increase your likelihood of a successful operation by being smart about how you approach the days and weeks leading up to your operation. Ask your surgeon about how diet, exercise and rehabilitation therapy can help to prepare your shoulder for your operation and rehabilitation.
- What Complications Should I Watch For? – In rare instances, certain complications can develop during or after a procedure. Bleeding and nerve damage are two complications that surgeons work hard to prevent, but the complication you’ll have the most say in watching for and preventing is an infection. You’ll want to learn how to care for your incision site so that you don’t increase your risk of developing an infection. They’ll talk to you about the safest ways to clean the area and change your dressing until healing has run its course.
- What Kind Of Activity Restrictions Can I Expect? – Your shoulder is a very mobile joint, which means we oftentimes have to be more cautious with our return to activity and physical strain after surgery than we are with other joints like a knee or hip. It’s helpful to get an understanding of what type of activity restrictions you can expect and when you may be able to return to certain activities like work or driving. Talk to your surgeon about your movement restrictions post-op and during your rehabilitation.
- What Will A Successful Surgery And Recovery Look Like? This is a little similar to the question about expected outcomes, but we find it helpful to end a consultation by painting a picture of what life will look like assuming the surgery and your rehabilitation is a success. We also make it a point to touch on individual factors, like if you hope to get back into specific activities like golf or tennis down the road. We can also talk about pain levels and long-term expectations for function, especially if complete and total pain relief isn’t realistic. We want to leave you with a better idea of what you can expect assuming that your surgery and recovery period is a success.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask your surgeon or send us a message on social media! For more information, or for help with a shoulder issue you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
